Grounding set



Oct. 26, 1937. c. D w 2,Q96,796

GROUNDING SET Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES GROUNDING SETApplication August 12, 1935, Serial No..35,896

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally toelectrical grounding sets adapted foruse in grounding electrical conductors, and more specifically togrounding sets made up of a plurality of clamps adapted for attachmentto the various conductors of a imilti-phase line for the purpose ofgrounding .said line, the predominant object of the invention being toprovide a grounding set which, because of the improved construction andarrangem-ent of the individual. clamps thereof, is capable of performingits intended function in an improved and highly efficient manner.

Fig. 1 is .a fragmentary elevation illustrating the improved groundingset in use.

" 5 Fig. 2 is 'a front elevation illustrating the clamps of the improvedgrounding vset arranged in .clusterform with the auxiliary clampsmounted on bar elements associated with the main clamp, andwith theclamp-operating'handles, and the .20 conductors broken. .away. i

Fig. 3 is view partially in vertical section and partially in. elevationshowing the main. clamp :and one of the auxiliary clamps mounted on abar element associated withthe main clamp.

.25 ,Fig. eisa'section of .the main clamp taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3,with parts of the. bar elements of saidmain clamp broken away.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the clamps of the improved grounding setassembled in cluster form .30 and with the handles of the clamps and theconductors broken away.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration,merely, one embodiment of 35 the invention, A designates the main clampof the improved grounding set, and B and C designate the auxiliaryclamps of said grounding set. The main clamp A includes a fixed jaw Iwhich is adapted to overlap an electrical conductor to '40 which theclamp is to be attached, said fixed jaw having a tapered wire-receivingseat 2. At the lower end of the fixed jaw I an outstanding lug 3 isprovided through which a screwthreaded opening 3 is formed, and extendedthrough said .45 opening is a screwthreaded operating element 4. at theupper end of which is arranged a movable jaw 5. The operating elementincludes a portion 6 of reduced diameter which is extended into anopening formed in the'movable jaw 5,

50 said portion .6 being provided with an annular depression 1 intowhich the inner end portion of a screwthreaded element 8 carried by themovable jaw 5 is extended. Because of this arrangement the operatingelement is rotatably connected to 55 the movable jaw.- The movable jaw 5is provided with wing portions 5' which embrace the opposite side edgesof the fixed jaw I so as to guide the movable jaw during movementthereof and also the ope-rating element is provided with a non--circular head portion l] at its lower end which receives the head of asuitable clamp stick Ill so as to facilitate rotation of the operatingelement t in order to move the movable jaw toward and from the fixedjaw. The clamp stick I0 may be of the type which is permanentlyassociated with 10 a clamp, or, if desired, a clamp stick may beemployed which is removable from the clamp.

The main clamp A includes a Web"! I which is associated with the fixedjaw of said-main c'lamp as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Also, adjacentto the lower portion of the fixed jaw of the, main clamp. a rearwardlyand upwardly projected extension I2 is provided. Formed integrally withthe web I 'I of the main clamp is a tubular portion. I3 which receivesin the. opening formed therethrough an end portion Id of an electricalconductor I5 from which the insulation of the conductor has beenstripped. Theend portion .I4 of the electrical conductor is clampedwithin the tubular portion I3 by means of clamping screws I6 whichextend into the opening through said tubular portion and forcibly engagethe end portion of the conductor in a manner to provide positiveelectrical connection between the exposed end portion ofthe conductorand the tubular portion I I3. Extended downwardly from the tubularportion I 3 is an extension I! which is of arcuate shape incross-section. The extension I! is formed integrally with the tubularportion I3 and with the web II, and said extension is provided with anoutstanding ear I8. The extension I I has associated with it a metallicstrap; I9 which ine cludes an arcuateportion which correspounds to thearcuate portion of the extension I?! but is curved in the oppositedirection. The metallic :40 strap I9 includes ear portions at itsoppositeends through which apertures are formed, said apertures beingalined with screwthreaded apertures formed'in the ear I8 of theextension I! and in the web II, and bolts 20 are extended through .45the apertures formed through the strap and screwed into the apertures inthe ear I8 and the web II so as to secure the -strap in place. Theextension I! and the metallic strap I9 constitute a clamping or holdingdevice for the 5 0 electrical conductor I5, the insulated portion of theconductor adjacent to the exposed end portion I4 thereof being securelyclamped between the associated arcuate portions of the extension and thestrap. By so clamping the conductor in place accidental breaking of themetallic strands of the portion I4 of the conductor adjacent to thepoint where the insulation ends, because of vibration or movement of theconductor when in use, is prevented.

The auxiliary clamps B and C are exact counterparts of the main clamp asthus far described; in other words, each of the auxiliary clamps B and Cincludes a fixed jaw 2| and a movable jaw 22, the movable jaw of eachauxiliary clamp being operated by means of a screwthreaded operatingelement 23 which passes through a screwthreaded opening formed through alug 24 located at the lower end of the fixed jaw. In like manner thelower end of the operating element of each auxiliary clamp is providedwith a head portion adapted to be received into the head of a suitableclamp stick 25 in order to facilitate rotation of the operating elementof the clamp when the movable jaw is to be moved with relation to thefixed jaw. Also each auxiliary clamp B and C is provided with a tubularportion 26 corresponding to the tubular portion I3 of the main clamp,this tubular portion 26 receiving an end portion 21 of a conductor 28 or29, as the case may be, which end portion is clamped within said tubularportion by means of clamping screws 30 so as to make positive electricalconnection between these clamps and the conductor. In addition eachauxiliary clamp B and C includes conductor clamping or holding meansprovided by an extension 3| of arcuate cross-section and a metallicstrap 32 which includes a similar arcuate portion, the metallic strapbeing secured in place by bolts 33. Each auxiliary clamp includes also aweb 34 with which the tubular portion 26 and the extension 3| areintegrally formed, together with a rearwardly and upwardly extendedportion 35 which corresponds to the extension [2 of the main clamp.

The main clamp A and the auxiliary clamps B and C being duplicates inbasic structure, it is necessary to apply an attachment or adapter tothe clamp which is to serve as the main clamp so as to adapt it for suchservice. This attachment is designated generally in the drawings by thereference character 36 and includes a downwardly extended portion 31provided at its upper end with a pair of ears 38. The ears 38 areprovided with perforations through which bolts 39 are extended, saidbolts being screwed into screwthreaded openings formed in the extensionI2 so as to secure the attachment 36 to the clamp proper.

The downwardly extended portion 31 of the attachment 36 includes a pairof oppositely dispose-d tubular portions 40 (see Fig. 5) into the hollowinteriors of which exposed end portions 21 of the conductors 28 and 29are extended, these end portions being at the ends of the conductors 28and 29 opposite to the ends thereof which are connected to the clamps Band C and said end portions being clamped within said tubular portionsby clamping screws 4| so as to provide positive electrical connectionbetween the conductor and the tubular portions 40. At points beneath thetubular portions 40 the downwardly extended portion of the attachment 36is provided with arcuate portions 42 which receive the insulatedportions of the conductors 28 and 29 which are located adjacent to saidexposed end portions 21' of said conductors. These insulated portions ofthe conductors 28 and 29 are held in fixed positions by being clampedbetween the arcuate portions 42 and similar arcuate portions 43 formedin metallic straps 44 which are secured to the downwardly extendedportion of the attachment 36 by suitable bolts 45. By clamping theinsulated portions of the conductors 28 and 29 which are locatedadjacent to the exposed end portions 21 thereof in place as described,vibration and other movement of the conductors 28 and 29 will not belikely to cause breakage of or strains on the strands of the exposed endportions 21 of said conductors at points adjacent to the ends of theinsulation of said conductors.

Extended outwardly in opposite directions from the oppositely disposedtubular portions 40 of the attachment 36 is a pair of bar elements 46which preferably are provided with enlarged head portions 46. These barelements are formed integrally with the remainder of the attachment 36and webs 41 are employed for providing the required rigidity at thepoints Where said bar elements join the tubular portions 40.

The auxiliary clamps B and C are temporarily mounted on the bar elements46 of the main clamp A when the improved grounding set is not in actualuse or if only the main clamp is in use. However, when the improvedgrounding set is in use in grounding a three phase line such as thatillustrated in Fig. 1, wherein the conductors of the line are designatedby the reference characters L L L the clamps A, B, and C, are arrangedin gang as shown in said .view. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that theconductors 2B and v29 lead from the clamps B and C to the attachment 36of clamp Av and that the long ground conductor l5 leads downwardlyfromsaid clamp A to a permanent ground (not shown) at. the base of thepole P. When the improved grounding set is being placed in use the mainclamp A with the auxiliary clamps B and C mounted on the bar 5.

element 46 thereof is elevated and the main clamp is secured to thecenter conductor, after which the clamps B and C are removed from thebar elements and are attached to the other conductors in the order mostconvenient to the operator.

The operating element 4 of the clamp A is illustrated as having anoncircular head 9 and the statement is made herein that the operatingelements of the clamps B and C are provided with similar heads. It isobvious however that the operating elements of the clamps may beprovided with eyes instead of noncircular heads if desired. Also, as hasbeen already stated herein; the clamp sticks for rotating the operatingelements of the clamps may be permanently attached to the clamps orremovably attached I thereto as desired.

I claim:

1. A grounding set comprising a plurality of clamps of like constructionadapted for attachment to electrical conductors, a ground conductorconnected to one of said clamps, an adapter detachably fixed to thelatter clamp, said adapter comprising a member which includes a centralportion from which integral bars extend outwardly in oppositedirections, means for securing said adapter to said clamp, said meansincluding parts on said adapter and said clamp which'are securedtogether by fastening means, conductor clamping means forming parts ofsaid central portion of said adapter and. adapted to clamp to saidadapter conductors leading from other clamps of the grounding set, andconductor holding means forming parts of the central portion of saidadapter and adapted to grip and hold conductors leading from said otherclamps of the grounding set to said adapter.

2. A grounding set comprising 'a plurality of clamps of likeconstruction adapted for attachment to electrical conductors, a groundconductor connected to one of said clamps, an adapter detachably fixedto the latter clamp, said adapter comprising a member which includes acentral portion from which integral bars extend outwardly in oppositedirections, means for securing said adapter to said clamp, said meansincluding parts on said adapter and said clamp which are securedtogether by fastening means, conductor clamping means forming parts ofsaid central portion of said adapter and adapted to clamp to saidadapter conductors leading from other clamps of the grounding set, andconductor holding means forming parts of the central portion of saidadapter and adapted to grip and hold conductors leading from said otherclamps of the grounding set to said adapter, said clamp part to whichsaid adapter is secured being present in each clamp of the grounding setin the form of an outwardly projected extension whereby any one of theclamps of the grounding set may have the adapter associated therewith.

3. A grounding set comprising a plurality of clamps of like constructionadapted for attachment to electrical conductors, a ground conductorconnected to one of said clamps, an adapter detachably fixed to thelatter clamp, said adapter comprising a member which includes a centralportion from which integral bars extend outwardly in oppositedirections, meansfor securing said adapter to said clamp, said meansincluding parts on said adapter and said clamp which are se curedtogether by fastening means, conductor clamping means forming parts ofsaid central portion of said adapter and adapted to clamp to saidadapter conductors leading from other clamps of the grounding set, andconductor holding means forming parts of the central portion of saidadapter and adapted to grip and hold conductors leading from said otherclamps of 'the grounding set to said adapter, said clamp part to whichsaid adapter is secured being present in each clamp of the grounding setin the form of an outwardly projected and upwardly inclined extensionwhereby any one of the clamps of the grounding set may have the adapterassociated therewith, and the upwardly inclined arrangement of saidextension serving to cause the adapter attached thereto to be disposedin angular relation with respect to the associated clamp to insurefreedom of the conductors leading to said adapter and to the clamp withwhich it is associated.

ULRICH C. DUNAWAY.

